I visited the Escape Lounge at Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport (MSP) earlier this year when it was still a Priority Pass lounge but it is still on the list of airport lounges you could access for free with an American Express Platinum Card.

The Escape Lounge at MSP is located in Terminal 1 right before the entrance to Concourse E and is open 04:00 am – 21:00 pm daily.  It is a relatively new lounge (has been open for less than two years) and it the only Priority Pass lounge at MSP. If you don’t have Priority Pass membership or access through American Express, you can also purchase access to the lounge ($40 if you pre-book and $45 at the door).

To reach the entrance of the Escape Lounge, take the stairs or elevator up to the Mezzanine Level.

The Escape Lounge is comprised of two main sections on each side of the check in desk.  I chose to sit in the smaller section on the right side. I immediately liked the look of the lounge – it is very modern looking with bright colors.

The lounge has a variety of different types of comfortable seats with plenty of outlets to recharge electronics.

There are great tarmac views but it was early morning and still dark when I visited.

This side of the lounge has a beverage station with coffee, candy and a fridge stocked with bottles of water and cans of soda.

On the left side of the desk is the larger section of the Escape Lounge. On this side, you will find the food/snack station, another beverage station, full service bar, dining area and work area.

The bar has a good selection of alcoholic drinks – some complimentary and some for purchase.  The Escape Lounge at MSP website has a sample drink menu listing the complimentary and a la carte options.

At the very back of the lounge, is also a more private work area with tablets.

The food was OK but I visited very early in the morning so I was only able to check out the breakfast options.

The Escape Lounge was fairly empty during my visit which I enjoyed.  My visit was shortly after it opened in the morning and the lounge did start to get busier around 6 am but it was still not crowded.

The one major negative is that the restrooms are located outside of the lounge.  To visit the restroom, exit from the door near the bar area. The exit door automatically locks so you need to re-enter the lounge by walking back in from the front entrance unless you grab a key. On a positive note, the bathrooms are close by and do not get a lot of traffic other than lounge visitors.

Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to the Escape Lounge at MSP.  The Escape Lounge is a modern and comfortable lounge with great tarmac views. If you have lounge access through your American Express Platinum card, the Escape Lounge is, in my opinion, a better option than both Delta Sky Clubs at MSP.
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Index (rest of series):
Delta Sky Club, Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport (Concourse F/G)
Delta One First Class, Minneapolis to Honolulu
Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach
Hawaiian Airlines Economy Class – Honolulu to Kauai
The St. Regis Princeville Resort in Kauai
Delta Sky Club Honolulu Airport
IASS Hawaii Lounge
Delta One First Class, Honolulu to Minneapolis
Escape Lounge at Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport (this one)
Delta Sky Club, Concourse C, Minneapolis (MSP)